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Beat Shrine / ANGER from the Bottom (Setouchi Triennale)

Beat Shrine/Anger from the Bottom is a very cool artwork that really fascinated me. It was imagined and created by Kenji Yanobe and Beat Takeshi. The original concept was done by Beat Takeshi and the final result was created by Kenji Yanobe. There was also a little help from dot architects but I’m not exactly sure what they did to contribute to the shrine.

Beat Shrine ANGER from the Bottom

Beat Shrine ANGER from the Bottom

Anger from the Bottom is the original name of this artwork. It depicts a spirit that emerges from an old well to frighten people. In 2013, the spirit would pop up every so often and spew water into the well. It was as if it was throwing up the water that it was sitting in.

Beat Shrine ANGER from the Bottom

Beat Shrine ANGER from the Bottom

I’m not sure but I believe in 2014 they built a small structure to cover the artwork and help preserve it for the future. It turned the entire artwork into Beat Shrine. Beat Shrine is actually a play on Beat Takeshi’s name in Japanese with the kanji reading “美井戸神社” that can be translated into the Shrine of the Beautiful Well. I found it interesting that they created this shrine to Beat Takeshi and I wonder if he would like his spirit to manifest in this shrine when he passes away.

Beat Shrine ANGER from the Bottom

Beat Shrine / ANGER from the Bottom

The structure itself is actually well made. It actually rises and falls according to the movement of the spirit in the well. It creates a nice cap to protect the artwork and I believe dot architects had a hand in designing and building this part of the project. Unfortunately during the 2016 Setouchi Triennale the spirit was always present so you couldn’t see the shrine go up or down.

Beat Shrine ANGER from the Bottom

Beat Shrine ANGER from the Bottom

I really like Beat Shrine/Anger from the Bottom. I wish I had more energy when I visited as I was exhausted from cycling all the way from Kusakabe in the summer heat. I don’t regret it as I was very happy with what I was able to see and I hope to revisit this artwork again in 2019 if time allows.

Yes, as you suspected, dot architects are responsible for the roof/shrine that was built afterwards, in 2014.

I don’t know which is best. Seeing the “Anger” spirit raise from the well and vomits his flow of water was quite amazing, but that also meant you had to be there when it happened (I saw it only once and almost missed it). It also was a crowded time, even though it wasn’t a big problem (except for the neighbors?), it felt like a crowd had gathered to pain its respects to the spirit.

Now, it’s always visible, which is great too, you can spend more time around it, there is no schedule and time not to miss, no crowd… But of course, the trade-off is that it doesn’t move nor spews water anymore.

I can’t wait to see it again (unfortunately it’s on a part of Shodoshima where I never go outside of the Triennale)

I think it is way better with fewer people around it, but then again I missed it the first time when it was going up and down on its own. Wouldn’t mind seeing it that way in the future if they can get it to do that.

Do you know if they lower it outside the Triennale as no one is really seeing it? I would assume so in order to help preserve it. I assumed it was up all the time because of the Triennale and it was spewing water more often for the Triennale too. It doesn’t really matter now, for me at least, but just curious.

I can understand why you don’t go often. I wouldn’t either as there really isn’t much on that side of the island, but it is a great quiet area. I like it more than the main city area.

To my knowledge, it’s not lowered outside of the Triennale. And that’s the thing, people are seeing it outside of the Triennale. Much fewer of course, but not none. Sakate gets a certain number of visitors as it’s the port where the jumbo ferry from Kobe stops on its way to Takamatsu. It’s actually one of the major entrances to Shodoshima.

Outside the Triennale, on days like today (rainy, cold, gloomy), there may not be many visitors to the various Art Setouchi works, but on other days (nice week-end after a few rainy ones, holidays, etc) they get quite a few visitors. On Golden Week, Obon Week, etc it can be almost as crowded as the Triennale.

Concerning Shodoshima, despite the fact that I love the island very much (I’d say it’s my third favorite after Ogijima and Teshima), it’s true that I rarely go outside of the Triennale (only once in 2017, not at all in 2015), because without a car, it’s just too impractical (and with a car, it’s quite expensive). So, I only go when there is a special reason to go, not just “just because” like I sometimes do with the other islands.